What Happened
- The Rajya Sabha was scheduled to elect its Deputy Chairman on April 17, 2026, after the post fell vacant when Harivansh Narayan Singh's tenure as a Rajya Sabha member ended on April 9, 2026.
- President Droupadi Murmu subsequently nominated Harivansh back to the Rajya Sabha (from the journalism field) under Article 80(1)(a), making him eligible for re-election as Deputy Chairman.
- The NDA is likely to renominate Harivansh, who has served two consecutive terms as Deputy Chairman since 2018.
- Opposition parties — Congress, TMC, and Left — raised objections, questioning why the government was keen to fill the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman post while the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker post has remained vacant since 2019 (seven years).
- Some MPs also questioned the timing — scheduling the election on April 17 when many MPs are engaged in ongoing state elections ending April 29, 2026.
Static Topic Bridges
Constitutional Provisions: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman (Articles 89–92)
The office of the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is constitutionally established. Article 89(1) provides that the Vice-President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha). Article 89(2) requires the Rajya Sabha to elect one of its members as Deputy Chairman. The Deputy Chairman presides over Rajya Sabha proceedings in the absence of the Chairman and has the same powers as the Chairman while presiding.
- Article 89(2): "The Council of States shall, as soon as may be, choose a member of the Council to be Deputy Chairman thereof"
- Article 90: Deputy Chairman vacates office if they cease to be a member of the Rajya Sabha; may resign by writing to the Chairman; may be removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all existing members of the Council
- Removal resolution requires 14 days' prior notice (Article 90, second proviso)
- Article 92: The Deputy Chairman cannot preside while a resolution for their removal is under consideration — the senior-most member presides in such cases
- The Deputy Chairman, while presiding, has the same powers and authority as the Chairman including casting vote in case of a tie
Connection to this news: Harivansh's re-nomination to the Rajya Sabha under Article 80 followed by his likely re-election as Deputy Chairman under Article 89(2) illustrates how presidential nomination powers and the Deputy Chairman election process interact.
Presidential Nomination to Rajya Sabha (Article 80)
Article 80(1)(a) empowers the President to nominate 12 members to the Rajya Sabha from persons with special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art, and social service. This is a discretionary presidential power exercised on the advice of the Council of Ministers. Nominated members have the same rights and privileges as elected members, including the right to contest for office, with one exception: they cannot vote in Presidential or Vice-Presidential elections.
- 12 seats are reserved for nominated members in the Rajya Sabha (total strength: 250, including 12 nominated)
- Nominated members can be elected as Deputy Chairman — Harivansh's case illustrates this
- Field of nomination has expanded in practice to include journalism, public administration, and social work
- Nominated members take the same oath of office as elected members; they can join a political party after election
- The nomination power is presidential but politically directed — the ruling party advises nominations, and nominations are used as rewards for party allies or notable individuals
Connection to this news: Harivansh's re-nomination as a journalist-category Rajya Sabha member is the direct constitutional mechanism enabling his candidacy for the Deputy Chairman post.
Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker: The Seven-Year Vacancy
Article 93 of the Constitution states that "the House of the People shall, as soon as may be, choose two members of the House to be respectively Speaker and Deputy Speaker thereof." The phrase "as soon as may be" has been interpreted as directory rather than mandatory, meaning non-election is not unconstitutional in the strict sense — but it violates a constitutional convention. The Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker post has been vacant since the end of the 16th Lok Sabha in 2019 — through the entire 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024) and continuing into the 18th Lok Sabha (2024–present).
- Article 93: Mandatory in spirit but directory in interpretation — courts have not compelled election
- Parliamentary convention: the Deputy Speaker post is traditionally given to the Opposition to ensure impartial presiding in the Speaker's absence
- The 2019–2024 BJP government did not fill the post, reportedly because the Opposition (Congress) declined terms offered
- SC issued notice on a PIL challenging the vacancy in 2023 — no final direction given
- The contrast: government keen to elect Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman (NDA candidate) while ignoring the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker vacancy (by convention, an Opposition post) — this asymmetry draws constitutional criticism
Connection to this news: Opposition parties are highlighting this asymmetry to argue the government's commitment to parliamentary conventions is selective — prompt action on the post it will win, continued inaction on the post it would conventionally cede.
Key Facts & Data
- Harivansh Narayan Singh: JD(U) leader; served as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman since 2018 (two consecutive terms)
- His Rajya Sabha elected term ended April 9, 2026; re-nominated by President under Article 80(1)(a) from journalism field
- Nominated members' tenure: 6 years (same as elected members)
- Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman election: scheduled April 17, 2026
- Method of election: Members of Rajya Sabha vote by secret ballot; simple majority of members present and voting
- Removal of Deputy Chairman: Requires majority of all existing members (effective majority), with 14 days' prior notice
- Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker vacancy: Since July 2019 — 7 years as of 2026; Article 93 requires election "as soon as may be"
- Deputy Speaker post convention: traditionally given to the principal Opposition party
- Total Rajya Sabha strength: 250 (238 elected + 12 nominated)